


24 stories to listen to by the fireplace

by Tory (Ejes)



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Advent Calendar, Drabbles, KH3 spoilers, One Shot, Re:Mind Spoilers, independant stories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:27:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 19,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27815293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ejes/pseuds/Tory
Summary: Outside, the wind is howling. The snow is falling, leaving a white mantle on the frozen ground. Now wrap yourself into that warm plaid, child, and come sit by the fireplace with me. Each day, and all the way to Christmas, let me tell you a story about heroes and villains, about friendship and love. Some are happy ones, some not so much, but rest assured they all are worth telling.[24 os christmas challenge]
Comments: 34
Kudos: 7





	1. Don't wake me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Just like Michael Buble, I only come out of my grotto once a year for Christmas to post this challenge, then perhaps once or twice a year if Lady Inspiration comes knocking to my door!  
> This year has been a trying time for most of us, and I hope this challenge will bring you a smile and forget for a moment the whole concept of 2020 (as you will notice, this first fic is NOT the best one for such a speech)
> 
> For newcomers, here's the idea! My friend SaphirActar and I have been giving out each other 24 themes for 24 drabbles to post between December 1st and December 24th. As always, she gave me really fun themes that I loved working with while I gave her a list of rubbish with nonsensical theme, so... welp. Anyway, I'll do my best to follow the schedule and to post one of these everyday (time of the day may vary) until Christmas, I hope you will all enjoy it!

“You need to promise, Riku.”

“Kairi, I-”

“I need your word.”

The childhood friends were facing each other with a serious expression. Kairi’s eyes were gleaming with determination, while Riku’s shoulders collapsed. Of course, the second she had offered to walk with him, he had known there was something going on. For almost an hour, they had just taken a stroll down the streets of Radiant Garden, chatting with civilians, exchanging jokes and stories in a feigned lightness. Kairi had been holding Riku’s hand for the whole walk. He had been squeezing it back, worried about what would happen next. And then, right as they walked in front of Merlin’s house, she had turned to him, taking his other hand.

“I’ve been talking with the scientists here.”

“You have?”

“And we all came to the same conclusion.” He could feel her hands shaking. He had never realised how small they were in comparison to his. Holding hands was Sora’s specialty, not his. She was silent, as if gathering the strength to say what must be said. He gave her all the time she needed. Perhaps was he gathering the strength to hear it, too.

“Riku, I think there are in my heart hints to what happened to Sora. Perhaps even to where he is right now. My heart may be the guiding key to him.” She chuckled, an empty sound to echo this sentence they had heard so many times in such a short time. “And I intend to find him.”

“Then why the sad looks?” Riku asked. “There’s something you’re not telling me, isn’t there? It’s not like I’d be sad or angry you want to find Sora. You know that’s what I want too, from the bottom of my heart.” Then, when she escaped his gaze, “Kairi?”

“Even and the others concluded that the safest way to explore what is inside my heart would be while I sleep. Just like Naminé did with Sora.”

Riku shook his head, refusing to understand what she was saying. “Sounds fair. How long would that take, then?” His brain was whispering the truth but his heart wouldn’t listen. She would only sleep for a couple of days, wouldn’t she? Then she’d wake up and they would go together to find Sora.

“I’m not sure. No one is sure. It’s not like they do this all the time, you know. Even with Naminé by their side. I can take months. Probably more. Perhaps even years.”

This time, when he squeezed her hands, it wasn’t to bring her comfort and a feeling of safety. It was to check that she was there, that she was real, that this was happening for real. It was because he was wondering if that was the last time he’d ever do it.

“There must be another way.”

“If there is, no one has found it yet. I wish we didn’t have to come to this. But Sora’s life might depend on it. Which is why I’m asking you to promise me that no matter what, no matter how long it takes, you cannot wake me. I don’t want to lose Sora again.”

“Neither do I, but… I don’t want to lose  _ you _ again either.” His heart was aching. He, who had tried to play tough no matter the trials they had been put in, was now on the verge of completely collapsing. He missed Sora more than he could ever say, and he would have done anything to get him back, but that was a price he wasn’t willing to pay. “Please, Kairi,” and his voice was quivering for the first time, “please… Don’t leave me alone. There must be another way. There are still worlds we can look in. I’m tired of being alone. Kairi…”

“You need to promise, Riku.”

“Kairi, I-”

“I need your word.”

His heart was burning. Her words stung, each one a dagger into his body. She was in pain too, that was easy to see, she was devastated at the thought of leaving Riku behind for so long, but he was feeling so much worse. He was feeling heartbroken. It would be easy for her. She would simply have to close her eyes, and when she’d open them again, all the answers would have been found. Him? He would have to spend months, maybe years alone, his best friend missing, his best friend sleeping. No one to welcome him with a smile, with a playful shove, with fascinating stories. His time alone in the Realm of Darkness had scarred him, and he could feel the wounds opening up again already. He was scared. He was not prepared. He missed her already.

“Riku?”

“I promise.”

And with these words, he promised himself he’d at least make sure the world she’d wake up in would be a better place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So,uh... yeah. Sorry this isn't quite ending happily BUT I SWEAR THERE ARE HAPPY ONES TOO!  
> The next theme is "You are my heaven". See ya tomorrow!  
> And don't forget to leave a comment if you can, they brighten up any writer's day <3


	2. You are my heaven

That day was a sunny day. It didn’t matter that the skies were grey and that rain was pouring, it was a sunny day. How could it be? The answer was pretty easy. That was because she was there, smiling at him. And with such a smile, the world could crumble, empires could turn to dust, mankind could disappear around him that he wouldn’t notice.

His ears were so used to her beautiful voice that when she spoke, it was as if the whole world fell silent to allow him to only hear her. He could identify her voice in the noisiest crowd, even if it was but a whisper. She sneezed in the most adorable way, and when she yawned, she would always stretch the way a cat would, and it was hard to refrain from patting her head when she did. Even though she denied the fact, she even snored sometimes at night in a melody that belonged exclusively to her, and he’d hug her even tighter in the warmth of their bed.

Even when he had been lost, she had been his light, his beacon to sanity and freedom. He would forever bear the guilt of hurting her and being unable to stop himself from doing so, but she would forgive him over and over again, her soft hands on his cheeks and her cerulean eyes locked on his, and he would start to forgive himself a bit as well. Without her, he would have given in long ago, stopped fighting and let Darkness take over completely, but the thought of never seeing her smile again, never hearing her sing when she thought no one was around, never watching her pout childishly when he had the last piece of cake had kept him fighting with all he had.

And even now that she was standing in front of him, a smile on her face as she was finally having a piece of strawberry cake, her favourite, he knew he would never stop fighting for her, because there wasn’t anyone he would ever love the way he loved her.

“You look happy, Terra,” she noticed with a giggle. “What could make you so happy so early in the morning?”

“You do,” he grinned as he wrapped his arms around her. “You do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I read the theme, this is one of the fics I knew right away what it had to be about. This was a sweet theme, full of love, SO OF COURSE it had to be about my (headcanon) sweetest and fullest of love couple!
> 
> Tomorrow's theme is "Last to Fall"! (which is also a great song by Starset by the way)


	3. Last to Fall

‘ _ You have seven days. Fail, and face erasure.’’ _ Eight words printed on the screen of his phone. A timer, printed on the palm of his hand. Countless stars, painted on the night sky of this strange city. Yozora was waiting.

The story of how he ended up in this place was one for another night, and the stories of all the trials he had gone through were best forgotten. Day after day, he had been given missions through his phone, along with a timer that he dared not thinking what would happen if it reached zero.  _ Face erasure _ . He was alone in this world, surrounded by a crowd of unknown faces who couldn’t even see him. He missed his friends. They were a team, the three of them, he being the one making terrible decisions that the two of them had to stop. Without them, he actually had to act like a freaking adult, and he hated it. But more importantly,  _ she _ wasn’t there. He had hoped that after they took her away, she would be somewhere in this world he landed in, and he used every mission as an excuse to find her, but he couldn’t find any trace of her anywhere. Clenching his fist, he cursed under his breath.  _ Face erasure _ . He couldn’t afford to be erased, whatever that meant. He would keep playing the good little puppet until he found a way out of this sickening game, and then he would find all that he had lost.

Never before had his missions been longer than a day. And just as he had considered to quit, to find a way around, tired as he was of being given orders - he wasn’t one to be ordered around, he was the one  _ giving  _ orders - the mission for that day caught his attention in a way no other did before. The timer was one of the reasons, of course. Seven days? That was almost ridiculous. Could it be the last mission? The most important one of them all? But more than this absurdly long timer, it was the mission itself that piqued his interest.  _ Save Sora _ . Sora, they said? Could it be… No, that was impossible. There must be hundreds, surely more, Soras all across the universe. And what did they mean by saving him?

Suddenly, there was this strange feeling in his chest, a tingling from his heart. The seven days were almost over. Could it be that the erasure was starting? He closed his eyes, wishing he could see his friends once more. Wishing he could see  _ her _ once more.

He opened his eyes in a new place. He knew this place wasn’t real. He had been there before, a world inside his heart where it was always night. His friends made fun of him for it, calling him an unnecessary drama king.

Wherever he looked, he was alone. However, he could feel that he wasn’t  _ really _ ; there was someone, somewhere. Who, and where? How could anyone access this place? He had no idea, he simply  _ felt _ it. The presence didn’t feel threatening, as if a lost soul had wandered into the wrong place. He decided to go looking for the soul, walking until he heard a voice calling in the distance. He tried responding a few times, but he was still too far, so he kept walking, calling back occasionally.

“Hey. Where are you?” he asked as he could feel the soul being closer.

“Over here!” He went towards that voice, until he could make a silhouette out of the shadows. For the first time, he regretted it wasn’t actually daytime.

The soul was a boy. Maybe a year or two younger than him, Yozora couldn’t quite tell. He made a mental note that they were dressed in a similar fashion, wondering if they could be coming from the same place.

“Hey, aren’t you…” The boy looked confused, and so was Yozora. He had never met this person before, and yet he acted as if he knew him.

“You’re Yozora, right?” This took him by surprise. He didn’t know him. Where did he learn that name?  _ Who sent him? _ Yozora started wondering if perhaps he was the one in charge of the erasure. A sympathetic, harmless face to make his death quick and painless.

“How do you know me? Who are you?”

“I’m Sora!” Whatever he said right after that was lost inside Yozora’s mind. Sora.  _ Save Sora _ . The Sora. Him. The Sora from the mission. Inside his heart world. That couldn’t be right. He had to make sure.

“Sora? You’re Sora?”

It was this boy’s turn to be surprised. “You know who I am?” Poor, sweet, innocent child. He had no idea.

“Sure. I’ve heard of you.”  _ You are my mission. _ The boy - Sora- went on rambling about how a girl told him about Yozora and how about this couldn’t be the real world. He talked too much. Yozora liked quiet. Especially in his heart world.

“Are you done? No, this isn’t the real world, and I am here. But this isn’t what I really look like.” He took a break, choosing his words carefully. That was another story for another time. For now, what truly mattered was figuring out if that boy was really Sora. He still couldn’t quite believe it. It made no sense. “How’d you recognize me as Yozora? And why are you using Sora’s name?”

Lost, the other boy frowned. “Because… I am Sora.” This had implications beyond what he could even imagine.

“If you are who you say, and it was fate that brought us here, then… my path is clear.”

He summoned his weapon. Saving someone had many meanings. He wasn’t sure the boy would understand, so he didn’t bother explaining. There was no way to avoid this fight. The timer had been precisely calculated, giving him seven days to understand exactly what was expected of him.

He looked at that frail boy in front of him. Whoever won this fight would settle the fate of every single world. The last to fall wouldn’t have to face erasure. The winner would be granted a second chance Yozora wasn’t ready to give up on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I saw the Shibuya tower back in the secret ending I SCREAMED SO MUCH I love twewy from the bottom of my heart, so when Nomura said it wasn't /that/ Shibuya my poor little heart broke into pieces. Then I remembered. Hey, I write fics, I can do whatever I want, so take that Nomura, it's going to be THAT Shibuya!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed that one! The next one is titled "He never wanted to leave"~*


	4. He never wanted to leave

Riku’s head was bobbing as he was fighting sleep. There was a blanket on his shoulders that smelled like Aerith’s flowers, although he didn’t remember when she put it on him. A cup of coffee gone cold laid untouched next to the keyboard.

“Go to bed, kid. It’ll still be there tomorrow. You need to sleep.” Cid crossed his arms, staring at him.

“I’m fine,” he lied, shaking his head. “Just give me a few more hours. I have the feeling something might happen soon.”

“That’s what you said the five last times. Listen, I ain’t your dad. Do whatever you like. But be aware that you staring at that screen 24/7 isn’t making any difference. Also I fear Aerith will find a way to put you to sleep a bit more permanently if you’re still there by the morning. Just sayin’.” And, with a pat on Riku’s shoulder, Cid left the house to get his own beauty sleep.

Riku knew all too well that he wasn’t being helpful at all. He might even be slowing them down. But what else could he do?

Kairi was asleep. A painful promise they had made in hope to find Sora, and after a year of slumber, there was still no progress being made at all, and he missed her dearly. He would sit by her side every morning for an hour and talk to her about anything at all, hoping she could hear him.

Aqua, Terra and Ventus were still in the Realm of Darkness. They were sending regular updates to prove they were safe, but it wasn’t anything like having them around.

The King had gone on a mission on his own, sent by Master Yen Sid. A younger Riku would never have believed he’d once be friend with a Royal Giant Mouse, and yet here he was, regretting they hadn’t been sent on a mission together.

The Twilight Town gang was doing fine, but Riku felt uneasy around them. Not only it felt as if intruding the little world they had built together, where he would be a guest but never a member, but he still felt uncomfortable around Roxas and Xion. He owed them too much. And while they were acting friendly around him, it was also clear they weren’t ready to fully move on yet. Perhaps it was just his own guilt talking, though.

He knew the boy on the screen was a simple copy. A Sora made of data, that had no real existence, that wasn’t aware he wasn’t a real boy, that couldn’t interact with Riku. But for now, that bunch of 0s and 1s in the shape of his best friend was all that he had. He would look at the screen and imagine that it was some kind of surveillance footage of the actual Sora, who was waiting somewhere, unharmed. Alive. Sometimes, the data boy would speak, and Riku closed his eyes and imagined he was talking to him. That Kairi was with them. That all was fine and back to normal. No dissolved from existence boy, no endless sleeping girl, no lonely tired teenager. As long as he stayed in the room, staring at this screen of a boy who both was and wasn’t his best friend, he could pretend that everything was okay, and he could try to forget for a minute that had he not trusted Xehanort all this time ago, they would still be leaving an albeit ordinary, but very alive existence, away from all the pain and the suffering. If he had to do it again, would he? Could he trade Sora’s and Kairi’s lives and sacrifice their happiness for the sake of adventures, magic, and world saving? He hated this voice inside his heart that whispered that he probably would. So to make it silent, he would keep looking at the boy on the screen, remembering what he had lost, and pretending he had not.

Why was loneliness so painful?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm being harsh on poor Riku on these early fics! I believe this is the last time I'm so cruel to him though, so hang in there Riku!
> 
> Tomorrow, "butter" is on the menu! (I've never seen a menu offering pure butter and just butter before)


	5. Butter

The kitchens of Le petit bistrot in Twilight Town were busier than they’d ever been. They were preparing a meal for a very important guest, after all. Their chef of the day was very focused on her task, oblivious to the agitation around her.

“Slowly… very slowly… And… How come I missed again? How hard can it be to crack an egg open?”

Her short hair safely tucked under a hygiene cap, Kairi was pouting. This was the fifth egg she failed to open. She could swear there was a spell in this kitchen to make it harder than anywhere else. A soft squeak drew her attention away from the egg mess, as the Little Chef was gesturing her towards a tray that had just arrived. Kairi smiled. The preparations were ready.

On the tray, you could see a mountain of butter. An indecent amount that probably cost a fortune and would clog anyone’s arteries in a matter of seconds. Next to it was a not less intimidating hill of sugar that would make any dentist rich in an instant. Kairi clapped her hands. “It’s cake time!”

It was March 28th, and it was Sora’s birthday. After a lot of thinking as to what to do for this special day, she came up with the idea to prepare him a dinner he wouldn’t forget. She contacted the Bistrot a week prior, asking if they had any suggestion of a meal full of food Sora never had before. And, together, they came up with the perfect menu.

The piece she was the most excited with had been the cake. It was a delicacy from the Little Chef’s origin world, something very sweet and easy to eat, with a name she couldn’t pronounce for the love of the Light: a Kouign Amann. The recipe involved a lot of butter, some flour, a ton of sugar, more butter, and even more sugar. She tried a sample when the Chef brought the idea and it was one of the best things she ever had in her life - she didn’t doubt Sora would love it too.

But never before had she seen so much butter inside a preparation.

After an hour of whisking, mixing, rolling, baking, the cake was done, a crown of gold she couldn’t wait to try out. It was almost dinner time, so she excused herself, running to Olette’s house so that they could get ready for the big event.

Sora was there early, chatting excitedly with Riku, when everyone else showed up. They all wore casual outfits, but he quickly noticed Kairi was wearing a bit of makeup and she looked even more lovely than usual. The dinner was not a surprise, but they had kept the menu secret, and the boy shared his enthusiasm at every dish that was being served, especially at the house signature dish, the Ratatouille, which was an explosion of flavours in the mouth. Kairi was waiting impatiently for dessert. When the waiter finally showed up with the savoury treat, the whole table exploded in _ Oooh _ s and _ Aaah _ s as they were trying to guess what kind of cake it was.

“No way, Kairi, you made this?” Sora was staring at her in awe, unable to believe it. Kairi grinned, shrugging.

“Oh, you know, that was nothing, and all I did was help. Little Chef did all the hard work. Come on, try it!”

At the very first bite, a tear rolled down Sora’s cheek. “This is… This is the best thing I ever had. It tastes amazing. Thank you, Kairi.”

She giggled, leaning towards him and dropping a kiss on his cheek. He did not understand the trap until her lips, sticky with all the butter and the sugar, touched his skin, leaving a very unpleasant feeling.

“How dare you? My revenge will be worse, you know!”

And while this was an upper class restaurant, where a decent attitude was to be expected of its guests, it quickly turned up in a fight where they’d all be rubbing their sticky fingers to their friends’ faces, leaving everyone’s skin oily, sticky, and sparkling under the artificial light.

Sora let out a delighter laughter.

“Best. Birthday. Ever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to say this was a lighter chapter, but,as someone who had such cake before, let me assure you there's nothing light about it. You will gain a pound at every bite. Kouign Amann comes from a region close to mine in France (Saphir's homeland), and it literally translates to "butter cake". It is, however, reaaaaally good! I wish you could all taste it!  
> Speaking of food so early in the morning makes me hungry, so before I go grab a breakfast, here's one last information:  
> Tomorrow's theme is titled "To the sky" !


	6. To the sky

"Are we there yet?"

"Not yet."

"What about now?"

"Not yet."

"And now?"

Strelitzia's feet weren't exactly in pain, but she was mentally tired of climbing these stairs. Chirithy wasn't quite talkative, either, which emphasized her boredom.

"Are we far from it, at least?"

"Just a bit longer."

"How long?"

"You will see."

"Can we take a break?"

"You will take a break once we arrive. Not before."

"Come on, that's not fair!"

But Chirithy said nothing. How long had she been climbing those stairs? She had no idea. It felt like hours. Days. Years. Patience had never quite been her thing, and without knowing how long they still had to go, she just wanted to go back, run under her blanket and get a well deserved nap. She didn't even know where they were going, she realised. 'Follow me', Chirithy had said, and she did follow. But now she didn't want to keep on blindly trusting her friend, she wanted answers. She needed to know where they were going, when they would get there. She didn't have all day, she had other businesses to attend to, and she was sick of playing this game! She crossed her arms and sat on a stair, pouting.

"What are you doing? We need to keep going."

"I don't want to. I'm tired."

"Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to rest once we reach our destination."

"Then what is that destination, exactly? You never told me where we were going."

"You know where we are going."

She was about to snap that he was making no sense, when realization hit her. Of course she knew. Other businesses to attend to? She sighed loudly. She had nothing else to do. They weren't going on a mission, or to a surprise birthday, or to a Dandelion meeting. They were going straight to Kingdom Hearts. She was, after all, dead.

What a nice place it would be, Kingdom Hearts. She who was complaining to be tired would get to rest for all eternity. That was tempting. But the more she thought about that, ignoring Chirithy who was pressing her to hurry, the less tired she was. After a lot of thinking, she jumped back to her feet. She wasn't tired.

"No."

"No?"

"No. I'm not going."

Chirithy sighed. "Don't be ridiculous. Where else would you go? Do you intend to sulk here forever?"

"No. But I'm not going either. I'm going back."

"Of course you a- Wait, you're serious?"

But she wasn't listening anymore, as she turned back and ran down the stairs, jumping three stairs at a time. It was the first time she allowed herself to be truly selfish, but she felt good about it. It didn't matter that she wouldn't get her body back. Being a ghost was fine with her. It wasn't like she had much presence in her living existence anyway. She _did_ have business to attend to. There was this kid she never had the courage to befriend. She wanted to make sure they were okay. She wanted to see if there was any way she could get her partymate Elrena to meet her brother. She was sure they could get along really well. And there was her brother, too. He always played it brave and classy, but she feared he would start getting lonely. She wanted to stay by his side, one way or another, to protect him. To guide him to find out what happened to her. And if she had been useless to him alive, she would try her best to assist him dead. One way or another, she would protect him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since we never had a proper explanation for Marluxia's final form with the scythe lady nobody, here's my take on it! She vowed to protect her brother from the best of her abilities, and she ended up being her bodyguard as he lost his heart. I hope we'll find out the truth about it someday!
> 
> Tomorrow's theme is "A drop in the ocean" !


	7. A drop in the ocean

A drop in the ocean. That’s how Vor felt, most of the time. A small part of a bigger whole, insignificant, invisible. She was just a kid, but she was so alone. The children played together, but never thought to include her in their games ; after school, she would spend hours exploring her city, pretending she had friends when her parents asked, and living her very lonely existence. She wasn’t really sad, she thought. She was just used to it. She had long accepted that she wasn’t interesting, or cute, or funny, that it was normal for a bland creature like her to be on her own, where she wouldn’t bore anyone to death. She no longer wanted friends. She just waited for the days to go by, one after another, in a life as bland as she was.

The other kids were kind of mean, most of the time, but she had grown accustomed to that as well. In her class, they wouldn’t use the word  _ boredom  _ anymore, twisting it into  _ voredom  _ instead. Or they would simply call her Bore. They sometimes used harsher words, and would even occasionally result to violence, shoving her or kicking her, and she knew that she deserved it, for being such a useless member of society.

She wasn’t expecting her life to change, and she wouldn’t do anything to change it either. It was as it was, for the better, and most of the time, for the worse. She wasn’t expecting change, and it was when you were last expecting something to happen that it would, in fact, happen.

Another boy was picking on her. She wasn’t quite sure what he was blaming her for, but she assumed it was the usual, her being in the way, their eyes meeting, or maybe just breathing the same air. Could she try breathing less, she wondered, to make everyone’s life easier? The other boy was pulling her hair and was about to throw another round of insults at her when something sent him off flying away. That something, as it appeared, was a fist crashing on his cheek, the fist being a boy’s she didn’t know. He had fascinating hair, the colour of fire, and a smirk that made him look as if he were up to no good. He looked at her, and his eyes were burning with a rage that made her fear for herself. Was he going to hit her as well? When his hand went to her direction, she recoiled, afraid, but he was simply offering his hand.

“Bothered by that bastard, aren’t ya?”

She didn’t know what to say. Was he angry at the other boy, and not at her? But why? The other boy didn’t do anything to him. Why would he help her, who deserved nothing at all?

“Cat got your tongue? Oh, wait, can you speak at all? Sorry, I can’t sign, but you can nod if that’s fine with you! I’m Bragi, by the way.”

“….why?” Her voice was a whisper, a squeal. She never talked much. No one care for her opinion, after all. The boy stared at her a bit longer, then let out a relieved sigh.

“So you can speak! Are you hurt? Do you need help going home? Can you walk?”

“…why?” she repeated, a bit louder. “Why did you intervene?”

He chuckled. “Pretend what you want, but you clearly didn’t have the situation in hand, if you want my opinion. I hate these bastards who pick on weaker than them. That happens often?”

She stared at her feet, nodding.

“Well, that shouldn’t! They need to be taught how to respect people. I’ll teach them, if you’d like! Or do you want me to teach you how to throw a really good punch?”

She stared at her small, weak hands, and shook her head. “I can’t fight.”

“Hah! Sure you can! Everybody can! You know, next year, I’ll be old enough to sign up for the Keyblade school, and I will become the greatest wielder they’ll ever see! You should join too! You’ll be able to make bullies pay in no time at all!” He grinned at her, and she felt overwhelmed by a feeling she wasn’t used to: joy. “What’s your name, future keyblader?”

“Vor. I’m Vor.”

“Well, Vor, I’m in dire need to find some new friends! Care to join this very private circle?”

“You want… to be my friend?”

“If you don’t mind, of course!” He crossed his arms behind his head, staring at the sky. “It’s not the first time I see you, you know,” he admitted in a lower voice. “You always looked pretty lonely. No kid should feel lonely. Ah, I’m not asking out of pity, though! You just looked really nice, so I thought we could probably get along just fine! You can say no if you want! It’s not like I’ve got no friends and am really desperate either!” For a reason she couldn’t explain, his face had turned a shade of red that went really well with his hair, somehow. “I just… It’s that…”

“Let’s be friends, Bragi.” She offered him a shy smile, unsure of how to draw these after years of staring at her feet. “And thank you very much. Can we walk home together? I’m worried…” She glanced at the boy still lying on the ground, unconscious. “I don’t want them to come after me.”

“I’d like to see them try!” Bragi said, showing his fist in a combative posture, punching the air a couple of times, until she laughed, a sound foreign to her lips. She took his arm, and together, they walked down the streets of Scala, him chatting all the way, her learning how to have a proper conversation with someone.

Staring at the window at the academy, Vor thought about the long road she had gone through, in just two years. Before Bragi, she had been shy, self conscious, unable to voice her opinions out loud. Now, she was an unstoppable chatterbox, sometimes a bit childish, most of the times really loud, the (self proclaimed) cutie of their group, and one day, she’d become a great Keyblade Master. Thanks to him, she was feeling safe, she was feeling strong, and never again would she let anyone step on her feet again. Maybe she was still a single drop in the ocean. But every drop was unique, and essential. She was going to leave a mark on this world, and people would remember her as someone great and powerful.

She would be eternal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really really really wanted to write something about the Dark Road kids, especially about my headcanon about these two! I find it quite sad that although they had been given a personality each, they all share the same dialogue no matter who you pick to go with you. Dark Road was a game requested by the KHUX team rather than by Nomura himself (from what I understood), so the plot shouldn't be too relevant for the games to come, but I'd still love to learn more about these children!
> 
> Tomorrow's theme is "One of my own" !


	8. One of my own

Larxene yawned and stretched. She had just taken a shower, and her hair was dripping everywhere. She had wrapped herself in a warm blanket, taken a good book and was currently reading it, her legs crossed on Marluxia’s lap, sitting on the other side of the couch, as if he were a vulgar pillow. Castle Oblivion was rather quiet, Lexaeus taking a nap, and Vexen and Zexion studying something no one really cared about. Larxene was so focused on her book she was rather oblivious to the world around her, which gave Marluxia some freedom to take a good look at her. And to wonder how exactly they ended up here, in some shady organization together, planning a coup.

***

He wouldn’t say they became friends from the day they met. At first, she was just some random girl who happened to know his sister. He didn’t have anything against her, she was nice and polite, he just didn’t know her much. She could be a key to finding out the truth, or at least she was one of the few who actually cared about Strelitzia, which put her on his ‘good list’.

Then, the world ended, and it felt wrong to leave her behind. And so, leaving his own teammates to deal with saving the Dandelions, he went back to get her, to save her, to make sure she was safe. They believed they would meet up with everyone else on the other side. They were wrong.

It then became a quest for survival. They weren’t exactly friends, at least he wouldn’t call them that, but they needed each other. She was his anchor, the only thing left from the world he grew up in and he left behind. He needed her for his sanity, she reminded him that they were alive and that the others probably were, too, somewhere. They got each other’s back. They took care of each other. They sometimes did terrible things so that the other one wouldn’t have to do them. They held hands at night, softly crying in the dark, mourning all that they had lost, fearing they’d never get them back. They grew up together, they matured together, forged in a cruel and lonely world where no one but themselves could understand what they had gone through.

After years of cohabitation, it was only fair they would want some space at some point. Some harsh words were exchanged. A bit of tears. A lot of anger. They went their separate ways, hoping the other one would apologize first. Neither of them did.

He found himself missing her a lot more than he thought. He had believed they were lonely, now he truly understood the meaning of  _ loneliness _ . Loneliness was a world with Lauriam but no Elrena. Loneliness was a world void of colours, of flavours. So when that strange man in a black coat appeared and offered a home in exchange of his heart, he didn’t think twice. He had lost so much that his heart was pretty useless anyway.

And so, when the new member, number XII, was first introduced to the Organization, the heart he didn’t have leaped into his chest. She looked at him the way she looked at everyone else : as if he was a stranger she was bored of already. A facade he put on as well. It would be safer to pretend they just met and started to get along as they worked together, rather than admitting they were acquainted already. Pretending he was simply glad to finally have a female addition to their ranks, Marluxia played his role pretty well, building a friendship that had been there for longer than anyone could imagine.

They didn’t care much about the nasty rumours about them and their relationship, because they couldn’t, and wouldn’t, explain the truth behind all of that. They had started as friendly strangers. They had grown into broken friends. They knew all there was to know about the other one, and they knew the Organization was just a stepping stone to their objective: it didn’t matter if it took them another decade, they would learn what happened to their friends. And the Organization occasionally dropping the name ‘Ventus’ and the word ‘Keyblade’ sounded like the best starting place.

***

“Watch out, flower boy, if you look at me any longer, you’ll end up falling for me”, Larxene said without glancing away from her book. He could hear her smile in her voice, even when her face looked annoyed.

“I fear there would be no point for me to covet a heart that is gone already. I was just thinking that you’ll catch a cold with your hair wet like this. Come here. I’ll dry it. You sneezing is the most annoying sound ever.”

She smirked, shaking her head to make sure he’d get some water drops on him, and he laughed. He couldn’t quite pinpoint the moment they became friends, but one thing was for sure: she was family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I WANT THEIR RELATIONSHIP EXPLORED, NOMURA. I WANT TO KNOW ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT THEM BOTH. I honestly cannot tell if I do ship them or not, and either way is fine, but they have a strong bond that I want to see more of. Don't be a coward, Nomura, and tell us what happened in the years between KHUX and BBS!
> 
> Tomorrow's theme is "Sinner", and while it's not quite a happy one, I just realised something that made me laugh... I'll tell you more tomorrow (watch me as I forget)


	9. Sinner

His heart heavy, Ventus placed the book on a shelf, hoping the others wouldn’t find it, hoping they would. Inside, he had hidden a letter explaining his decision. He had no right to be among them. He had not been chosen. Worse, he couldn’t erase from his mind what happened to the actual chosen one. What  _ he _ did to her. Now that the memories were out, he woke up every morning seeing her still body on the floor of that warehouse, hearing her calling her brother in a final whisper. He’d remember watching her and feeling nothing at all, no sadness, no remorse, no fear. And that was what terrified him most. For days and weeks, he had befriended Lauriam, he had thought of him as the brother he never had, and he realised now how cruel this feeling was. He might have found family in Lauriam, but Lauriam had lost his own because of him.

So when he woke up this morning, Ventus knew this couldn’t continue like this. He couldn’t keep on talking with these people who were still calling him a friend when he was a monster, who still trusted him when he slaughtered one of their own. They said they knew it wasn’t really him. That was what hurt the most. It had been him. He had watched the whole scene happen, he had done the unspeakable, and there was no telling he wouldn’t do it again. He didn’t deserve their love or their trust or their forgiveness. Lauriam was the only one smart enough to at least not forgive him. How could he, after what Ven had done?

He took all of his time trying to find the right words to lay down on paper. He didn’t want to sound apologetic. He didn’t want to sound pitiful. He didn’t want to look like he was the victim in this story. He was the culprit, and he had to pay for his sins ; leaving them was only the first of a long line of punishments he had planned. He purposely didn’t mention it in his letter, although the whole tone of it probably made it clear what his final punishment was. All he could hope for was that Darkness would fall with him.

Sitting on the bridge in Daybreak Town, Ventus was enjoying the view one last time. He would miss the city. He would miss everyone in it. But what mattered was that no one would actually miss him. This was for the best. When he heard footsteps behind him, he paid no attention to it. It probably was just someone passing by.

‘ _ From the day I’ve joined you, I’ve been nothing but a nuisance and a burden. _ ’

He closed his eyes. He knew these words. He wrote them that very morning. And he knew that voice. He had promised himself to never hear it again.

‘ _ I’ve loved every single minute I spent with you. And this is why I must leave. I cannot bear to hurt you more than I already did.” _

He nodded sadly. His words alright.

“You are a lot of things, Ven, but I didn’t think you were a coward.”

Again, he said nothing. He didn’t move.

“I’m talking to you. Look at me.”

He turned around, to face the young man behind him. His pink hair was a mess. His eyes, circled with black since the day he learnt the truth, were shining with fury.

“Hello, Lauriam,” he said with a broken smile. Lauriam frowned.

“So that was your plan? Disappear while we were all sleeping, then what? Jump off that bridge?”

“It wouldn’t be fair on anyone if I jumped here. Also… I haven’t paid the price yet. I have no right to jump for now.”

“Quit the whining. You do realise that everyone is worried sick about you since they saw your letter, right?

Ven shook his head. “It’s for the best. You more than anyone will understand that I cannot be allowed to remain a Dandelion. That would make no sense.”

Lauriam sighed, and his aura of pure rage made even this sound threatening. “Since you’re so concerned with what I think or understand, let me tell you what I want, Ven.” He clenched his jaw. “My sister is dead, and you are involved in her murder. I won’t deny that. And you’re right in your letter, I’m not ready to forgive you either. I don’t think I’ll ever be.” Ven lowered his head. “But who cares? What am I supposed to do, simply stay angry until the rest of my days? Let you leave and then suddenly everything will be okay because you are gone?” Lauriam took a step forward, grabbing Ventus by the collar. The boy stared at his once friend, his eyes filled with tears, guilt rushing in. “Let me tell you what I want, Ven.” Lauriam repeated. “What I want is  _ justice _ . You are not running away. You are going to stay there, you are going to stay a leader, and you are going to help us save everyone from this bloody war the book of prophecies mentions. For the one life that you took, you are going to save hundreds. Otherwise she will have died for nothing, and that I won’t allow. So quit your self centered whining, grab your keyblade and fight for a better future. This is your punishment. This is how you atone for what you did.”

He dropped Ven who fell to his knees, sobbing. He gathered whatever strength he had left to stutter “B-but what if I… if I…”

“Don’t worry about that.” Lauriam offered a smile, and somehow it didn’t look friendly at all. “I’ll keep an eye on you. If you, or  _ Darkness _ , tries to hurt someone, I will put an end to you myself. Now let’s go.”

Ventus got back to his shaking legs, looking at Lauriam. While the boy had not lost hope on saving the world, losing his sister had changed him. Broken something that would never be fixed again. He looked like he had nothing to lose now. Suddenly, he was looking terrifying and dangerous.

“Ah, before I forget, one last thing.” He turned so quickly Ven could barely register he moved at all, and it took a couple of seconds before actually feeling the fist that had crashed on his face, sending him flying away. Lauriam chuckled, a very cold and joyless sound. “Okay, now we can go saving the world. I had a feeling you wouldn’t accept my speech until I hit you, so there you have it. Time to go, crybaby.”

And just like that, Ven joined the Dandelions once again, reassured by the promise Lauriam made: were anything to go wrong, he would end Ventus with his own hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For a lighter note, and since I do remember saying that yesterday, let me tell you about a curse that Saphir and I are victims of: the Marluxia curse. It turns out that the flower boy, with or without a heart, enjoys the spotlight a lot. A LOT. Which means that even in fics where he's not supposed to be here, or just to be in the background for a second, he will ignore your plot and just end up speaking longer than you intended him too, he'll make sure that he is one of the protagonistof your fic. Let me tell you, this isn't the last time he's appearing in these fics, because no matter what I do, he's here, staring at me, making sure I give him more screen time.
> 
> Tomorrow's theme is titled "Family"!


	10. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEAVY RE:MIND SPOILERS  
> THIS WILL SPOIL YOU  
> BE CAREFUL  
> SPOILERS  
> (should be safe now)

It didn’t feel cold, being trapped in a crystal. Or warm. It didn’t feel anything. If anything at all, Sora felt like being a floating conscience locked in a tiny box. He was mildly aware of his surroundings, feeling more than he could see or hear but one thing he could really feel was time flowing. He wasn’t bored, not exactly, but that left him plenty of time to think. For the first few days, he thought of his friends, wondering what they were doing, if they knew he was still alive somewhere. Then, he started worrying about the safety of the worlds. With Xehanort gone, surely everything would be fine, but what if someone else showed up with bad intentions? At least there were many keyblade wielders, Masters and Apprentices alike, ready to fight. He wasn’t alone anymore. This led him to think more about his friends. He missed them. And, of course, he missed Kairi more than anyone. He hoped she wasn’t too sad, he regretted they didn’t have more time together. Maybe one day he’d escape this crystal and he’d find her again. There were many things he wanted to tell her. It was probably time.

For days, he thought about friends and worlds and friends and love, but at some point, his thoughts ended up drifting to the one topic he had been careful to avoid until now.

He missed his parents.

The last time he saw them, he knew he would have to leave again for a very long time. He knew he couldn’t quite explain what was happening. And he knew that while they really wanted to know, they never asked. So instead, he gave them both the longest hug he could, and he had felt his mother shake lightly as she sobbed, understanding her little boy was taken away from her again. He had felt his father hold him as tight as he could, wondering if he would ever be able to do so again. He had seen grown ups pretending everything was fine when nothing was, his mother stuffing his pockets with biscuits and fruits and bandages, his father hiding a picture of the three of them inside his bag with a guide to survive in the wild, felt them both kissing him goodnight when they thought he was asleep and knew he would be gone by morning.

He wished he could have explained what was really happening. He was sure that Yen Sid wouldn’t even mind him making an exception to tell his parents the truth. But he couldn’t quite resolve himself to this, knowing this would cause them more worries. For now, they half believed he was gone exploring new places. They probably suspected he was putting himself in danger. But there was no way they would ever imagine he’d fight a war, he’d lose his heart, he’d end up in the Realm of Darkness. And it was better this way.

He could feel a crack, somewhere. Was the crystal giving in, or was it his heart? He had always been really careful to bury deep inside his longing for home, and he worried what would happen if he let it all out. Another crack. Was this freedom, or was it the end? Another crack.

He wanted his parents to be by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not quite my happiest one so far, but I do love writing about Sora's parents every once in a while. I know we probably won't ever see them, but it must be really hard for them.
> 
> Cyberpunk is released today, are you going to play it? I'm not, but many of my friends are really hyped. On the other hand, I've started the FFXIV 5.4 patch yesterday and I'm loving it so far. What games are you currently playing? Or expecting?
> 
> Tomorrow's theme is "Drowning" !


	11. Drowning

It felt very unusual, being the center of attention. For her whole existence, Naminé had been nothing more than a tool no one would really look at or pay attention to. The Organization XIII usually ignored her, only Larxene would be really mean. DiZ gave her orders as if she were just a machine - and at that time, she thought that maybe she was. But since Sora and Riku - one of the Rikus - gave her her own body, and a new chance at life, all of a sudden, she had become the source of everyone’s worries, and she didn’t quite know how to react to that.

Ansem, as he was once again called, had her breakfast delivered to her bedroom every morning. She had a maid working for her, who would grant every single one of her wishes. The scientists - the former Organization members - would keep on asking her her opinion on certain matters regarding Sora’s and Kairi’s hearts, and they kept on telling her not to overdo it, making sure she took breaks. Have you checked this ice cream yet? Have you ever visited the Land of Departure? I heard it’s beautiful at this time of the year. She was drowning in small considerations and it was overwhelming. She knew the organization was no more and she was doing her best to open up to its former members, but she was relieved that neither Marluxia or Laxene were around. She didn’t think she had it in her to face them ever again. The wound was too deep. Even if their Somebodies ended up being nice and considerate people, she probably would avoid them as much as she could. She hoped they would understand.

  
As days went by, Naminé finally understood what was hiding behind all this extreme kindness from everyone, and she wished she had not. Everyone was so nice, anticipating her every needs to make sure she was happy. Because she had to be happy. More precisely, they  _ had _ to make her happy. They all had been so cruel before, but that was because they had no hearts, right? And now that they had hearts again, they were good people, and they wouldn’t do anything their former selves would do, such as hurting her, right? She was, once again, a mere tool. She was a purpose, she was their redemption, she was their atonement. They didn’t really care what she felt like, what she enjoyed doing and what she did not. All they cared about was that she was bound to feel good thanks to them, because they wanted to prove not to her but to themselves that they had changed and they were no longer villains. She wondered if she missed the times when they weren’t lying to themselves that much. She crossed out another day in her calendar. Only two more days and Xion would come and visit. Two more days until she could be saved from this sea of hypocrisy she was drowning into, at least for a couple of days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rather than going for a literal meaning for drowning, I thought of someone drowning in kindness - and how it might actually be overwhelming.
> 
> Not much more to say today, other than that the next theme is "Addicted"


	12. Addicted

Vanitas was tossing and turning into his bed. He didn’t like beds. He wasn’t used to owning one. Resting was for the weak, and he was nothing but weak : he wanted to fight.

There was a time when any fight would have done it. He was full of anger and violence and it didn’t matter who he unleashed it on, as long as he could let it all out. But then things happened, and it turned out he found the one, his nemesis, the one he could fight over and over again to prove his superiority.

Since the day he heard Aqua had been released from the Realm of Darkness, the boy had been restless. He loathed everything about her. Little Miss Perfect who probably had never lost a fight in her life before she met him. He was there to teach her humility. To beat her, over and over again. To never kill her, but to instead let her suffer. She, too, was the first tough opponent he ever met. And this was why he wasn’t ready to leave her to anyone else.

Not wanting anyone to get the wrong impression, he repeated to anyone who cared (namely, no one) that HE was the one going to find Ven and HE would defeat him and HE only was allowed to fight him. Wherever Ventus went, Aqua would. And this was how he was sent to Castle Oblivion where Ventus was rumoured to be sleeping, and this was how he fought Aqua once again.

There was just something about her that made him feel special. He knew she never looked that angry when fighting anyone else. He knew she kept all of her hatred, her anger, her disdain for him and him only. When she looked at him, he could see nothing else existed for her but him. When it came to him, she would show no pity, no mercy. If he was the part of Darkness that existed within Ventus’s heart, he was the flame that ignited Aqua’s own. No one ever looked at him that way. No one ever looked at him. He was a copy, a bootleg Ventus no one paid attention to. Aqua was looking at him for who he was. She looked at him and she saw him. He was a full person to her. He mattered. He didn’t care that she despised him and dreamt of defeating him, because he shared the feeling. He wasn’t looking for a friend. He was looking for someone who thought he was important, and he was that very person to her. She probably wouldn’t understand the irony of the situation, how her hatred gave him more power than her ignorance.

He would fight her, over and over again. He wouldn’t let anyone harm her, kill her. She was his. She was the reason he was still alive, and she was the reason he ever felt alive in the same place. He knew that someday, she would win and defeat him. But if dying was the price to pay for being alive, he would gladly pay it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not AS MUCH Vanqua as I used to write back in the days but hey, it's still something!
> 
> Enjoy your weekend, yall! the THIRTEENTH theme is titled "Save yourself" !


	13. Save Yourself

“Now, we’re all grown ups here, and I don’t want to accuse anyone.” Luxord took a deep breath, staring at his fellow Organization members - at least the ones who were present. “I’ve had this bottle of gin for years now, and it is very,  _ very _ expensive. There are only three of these bottles in the entire universe, and you have no idea what I had to do to get one of these. So now I’m simply asking, has anyone seen it?”

Nobody really paid any attention to him, until the door crashed open, and a very angry Saïx, and a very threatening Xigbar, walked into the room.

“Which one of you bastards took my bottles of whiskey, exactly? Did you think it was a bloody help yourself cabinet?”

“It appears that the bottles of wine we had been saving for the day Kingdom Hearts is complete are gone too. Now,  _ who do I crush _ ?”

“Well,” Axel chuckled, “looks like we’re going to have a very drunk thief among us soon!” He stared at everyone with an amused look. “Now who’s the impostor? Xaldin is looking kinda sus, you know…”

Xaldin shot a glare at Axel that probably could have killed the young man right away. “I had not brought the topic earlier because I didn’t want you to pretend I was overreacting, but my rum is gone too. Has been since yesterday. I assumed it was some kind of petty prank and that it would return if I pretended I did not care at all.”

“So we’ve got missing gin, wine, whiskey, and rum,” Vexen listed. “You can count Zexion and I out of that list. Alcohol would ruin our brilliant minds, as you all know. We’d have little use for these bottles.”

“What if, instead of suspecting the ones present,” Zexion thought out loud, “we started suspecting the ones missing? You cannot tell me no one thought this was something Larxene would do. Knowing her, she might not even drink it, but pour it down the sink and replace it with cheap stuff, don’t you th- oh, we’re going after her then.”

Horrified by his theory - by how likely his theory was- every victim of the theft had jumped to their feet, almost running to the Twelfth room.

The door was closed, but some very loud music could be heard inside, as well as some laughters. The sound was so odd and unfamiliar to all of them that they froze for a second, unsure what to do. That was, of course, until Xigbar reached the door. He didn’t care for some stupid laughter. He wanted his alcohol back. He opened it with a dramatic kick, and no one in the room paid him a single glance.

Demyx was sitting on the bed, frowning, his cithar in hand, and he looked very focused on the song he was playing. The music in the room covered almost every single sound his instrument was making, but from what they could tell, it was bad, out of tune, with no harmony at all. Larxene and Marluxia were sitting at a table (was there always a table there?), empty bottles all around them, and Larxene was pouring a glass to her acolyte with a giggle.

“And here we have a  _ Chardonnay _ , thirty years of age, with hints of peach and of vanilla, courtesy of Saïx. Cheers,  _ Monsieur _ !”

Marluxia took the time to look at the wine, with a snob look that looked rather fake, while Larxene gulped down her glass without even appreciating it. Saïx never felt this close to crying.

“Hey Demyx, wanna try this one too? I can’t feel the peach at all but I’m sure they only wrote that to look smar- oh, hi guys!” She finally noticed the army of angry men at her door (well, one of them was actually stiffling his laughter so hard he was crying, and some others didn’t care much, but some did look very angry) “You look like you could use a drink, want some?” She grinned at them, showing the bottle in her hand.

“May I know where you got that bottle, Larxene?” Saïx’s voice was trailing, heavy with the implied threats. Marluxia shrugged and offered them a smile similar to hers.

“I’m sure you can tell already! Life’s short, why would you waste it by hiding all the good things? These were all covered with dust, so we assumed you didn’t want them!”

“All we did was to help you out,” Demyx added with a naive smile, not quite looking at them.

“Permission to kill them?” Xaldin asked in a growl.

“Denied,” Saïx replied, although he truly wished to end them himself. “But there shall be consequences. They will pay, believe me.”

For months, they learnt the price of stealing from your coworkers. Endless training that resulted in several near deaths experiences, waking up before sunrise and going to sleep after sunset, only one meal a day, and unspeakable things that anyone in their right mind would call torture. It was now clear that if you wanted to stay safe and sound, you should never, ever touch Saïx’s stuff without permission.

But when asked about this punishment, all three of them would ineluctably answer the same two words.

“Worth it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Truth be told, I had not even realised that the 13th theme was about Org XIII before writing my author note yesterday. The scenario for this particular prompt came to me while I was listening to the song L.A. Devotee, I could easily picture Marly and Larxy sharing a glass of wine that wasn't theirs with a very threatening Xigbar looking at them... And that's how it all came to be!
> 
> Tomorrow's theme is titled "Raven Hair"!


	14. Raven Hair

He made sure his boots were clean and polished every morning. He wore socks that did not match to show his goofy side, but made sure they were hidden by his shoes, so that only his most trusted friends would know. He’d wake up very early every morning, earlier than the Sun even, to ensure his clothes were ironed out and tidy, that his hair was the perfect amount of disheveled, so that he would look like ‘I woke up like that’ and still look incredibly stylish. Most people thought Lauriam was the one most likely to take so much care of himself, of his skin, of his outfit, and that was proof that Brain’s technique was perfect. He never looked like he tried, only looked like he was born with style.

Whenever someone called him “the black-haired guy with a hat”, he’d feel slightly annoyed, and also highly superior. He couldn’t blame people for not knowing this shade of hair was called  _ Raven _ , nor that this wasn’t just a hat, but a  _ Fedora _ .

Being so stylish and so little understood felt lonely, sometimes, but he could always count on his precious Chirithy, the one who got him all the time. Chirithy and Brain would go window shopping in their free time. They would buy new clothes, adding touch ups to make them look very unique. He had a very broad collection of hats, and always made sure to buy a smaller, matching one for Chirithy. It would be a shame if he looked so good while his dream eater looked so casual.

Whenever they sat to take a breather, Chirithy and Brain would look around and mentally dress up everyone around. That girl would look much better with shorter hair. This guy, on the other hand, probably shouldn’t tuck his shirt into his trousers. Brain often regretted that suspenders were out of fashion. If only he could convince Lauriam to wear some, he knew that many would follow. Skuld would be a good subject, too. Brain often talked with her about how she customized this or that piece of garment, and they even spent a few hours together adding studs to her brand new jacket. Ephemer, on the other hand, was the true embodiment of “woke up like this”. He’d wear the first thing he found and loved his scarf so much - just as much as Brain loathed it. This scarf looked terrible, it probably had not been washed in years, it made Ephemer look like a small, no neck version of himself, and he simply shrugged it off when Brain pointed it out. And what to say of Ventus? Ven probably didn’t even know what  _ fashion _ meant. Brain suspected that the boy even slept in his clothes. He suspected the boy didn’t even have any other set of clothes. Ven had the energy of one who would sleep with his socks and shoes on, only because he didn’t think of taking them off. It drove Brain crazy. In his wildest dream, he’d give him the ultimate makeover. It didn’t matter that Ven enjoyed a casual, urban outfit, Brain had tonz of ideas of how to make the kid rock that style. That would, obviously, involve some chains, and some zippers. A lot of zippers. Yes, that would look incredible. A hint of makeup to deepen his gaze, just a tidbit of eyeliner perhaps, to make him look a bit smarter and a bit less daydreaming. Maybe bigger shoes? He had the feeling this could become trendy if anyone tried a little harder.

With a sigh, the raven haired boy with a Fedora nodded at the pearl grey Chirithy with a matching Fedora hat as they finished tying their knee high lace up boots. It was time for another day among their fashion oblivious kin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaah, Brain, what a fashionista! Rumour has it he might be Nomura's self insert...
> 
> Tomorrow will be "We must be strong" ! (go watch She-Ra)


	15. We must be strong

I can feel Aqua’s hand in mine. It is small, oh so small. I can tell she is nervous by the light squeezing of her fingers, but her face shows nothing but determination. I admire her so much. I don’t think I would be able to be so brave after living what she had to live. Ven, on the other hand (both literally and figuratively), tightens his grip a little more every second. He looks uneasy, terrified. He doesn’t want to be here. He fears that if he looks away for a second, we’ll be gone. I smile at him.

“You don’t have to do this, Ven. You can go back home if you’d like. It’s okay.”

He shakes his head. “I’m staying with you. I can do this.”

“We’ll keep you safe. I won’t let anything happen.” Aqua’s voice is cold, as she looks around. I can hear the warmth and love in her words, but they are wrapped by something sharp. She despises this place and wishes she was somewhere else.

I can tell so much about them, but what can they tell about me? Can they feel my every muscle being tense, ready to fight? Can they hear my heart beating faster everytime darkness creeps closer? Can they see that I keep on trying to have a look at my reflection in every puddle, making sure there’s no silver in my hair, no gold in my eyes? I wonder if they can tell I’m probably even more scared than either of them, because I am not afraid of this place, but of myself. Running away will not fix this.

“Let’s get moving,” Aqua says, and I am once again in awe at how sure she sounds. How adult she is. How broken she was.

“Are you fine, Aqua?” Ven knows how to ask what I’m too afraid to. I gently squeeze his hand.  _ Thank you _ , my fingers are saying. I wonder if he understands, but he squeezes back. “With being here, I mean. I know you’d rather not be here again…”

“It’s alright,” she says, then, another time, louder “it’s alright. I swear.” She turns her face to me, guessing I’m sharing Ven’s worries, and somehow I can see in her eyes that she’s telling the truth. “This time I know we can get out. And this time, I’ve got you both with me. I am not afraid. Not anymore.”

Look at how brave my girl has become. She who was such a crybaby, she who used to smile to hide her pain, she now looks dead serious because she is at peace. I wonder if I’ll ever be that strong. If I’ll ever be able to accept my past as a fact, and not as an open wound.

“Besides,” she adds with a smile that I feel is sincere, “there are some lovely places here. I came to understand that Darkness wasn’t just a cold and scary place. Let me show you around! There’s this lovely town just down the street. And there are some remnants of the Dwarves Wood that you will love! It’s full of shimmering jewels and the sky is full of stars. I suggest we end our journey by stopping by the shores. The water is way too cold for a swim, but it still looks gorgeous!”

“Wow there, slow down,” I say, chuckling at her enthusiasm, surprised she actually holds nice memories of the place. A bit jealous, too, though I won’t admit it out loud. “Remember we’re here to look for clues. So-ra,” I say exaggerating my enunciation. “We are looking for hints about So-ra.”

“Oh, stop being so grumpy, Terra,” Ven teases me. “Aqua wants to give us a tour. Any place with you guys feels like holidays, so let’s turn this place into a happy place!” I notice he still doesn’t let go of my hand. He’s still afraid. So am I. So is she. But they’re right. The scariest place in the world doesn’t feel that scary with them by my side. We all have our own demons to fight, but this time, we can fight them together.

“Alright, alright, let’s have this picnic or whatever your plans are, I don’t care…”

“Ah, let’s take a picture together! Kairi taught me about that feature on the Gummi phone!”

“A pic-wow!” Ven jumps on my back as Aqua draws closer to me, her phone in hand, and they are both grinning at the screen. I sigh before smiling too. This search for clues in Nightmareland somehow is turning into a sweet holiday camp, and I’m not quite sure how. But as long as Ven is grinning by my side, and Aqua is holding my hand, I know that this place cannot be so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do believe that the three of them together are unstoppable (as long as they finally communicate, I hope they've learnt to do that by now). I was surprised they would return to the Realm of Darkness and I don't know if they'll find anything there, but if that's an excuse for another game with them, I'M IN
> 
> I know the worlds Aqua mentions are probably long gone back to their original places, but I did love very much the Dwarves woodlands section on 0.2! I just wanted to share my/her love of this place with Terra and Ven, heheh
> 
> For today's theme, I had a special set of rules (I was free to pick whichever fic I wanted for that), and that was writing in the first person of the present. I don't do much of first person, BUT THE PRESENT, oh boy, that's my nemesis. Anytime I took a break from writing then went back to it, my verbs would automatically switch back to the past. Present is hard, yall.
> 
> Tomorrow will be about "You forgot your shadow".


	16. You forgot your shadow

The air was hot, and the sand crunched under his shoes. The man sighed. He wished his friend had come along, but he wouldn’t ask such a thing of her ; he knew this place was too painful for her. A graveyard was bound to be full of sad memories, and this world was no different, it didn’t matter if the war happened a year, a decade, or centuries ago - the souls of the early departed ones still lingered around, unable to find peace.

Lauriam looked at the desolated land and the forest of keyblades that spread to the horizon. How many of these had he known? Most of them looked familiar. Had he been able to summon his own, he probably would have added it to this morbid connection - the boy he had been died on this land as well. Instead, he sat on his knees quietly, closing his eyes. Addressing a prayer for every soul that had not found rest yet. There was one soul he wished to pray for more than any other, but he knew she wasn’t there. She had not even been given the chance.

He stayed there in silence for a while, and minutes and perhaps hours flew by, and it still wasn’t enough time to pray for each one of them. He felt observed, wondering if they could see him. If they recognized him. Many wouldn’t know who he was, but he hoped they could feel his heart and understand. Realise there was someone out there who remembered them. Who still grieved them.

The feeling of being observed became more and more oppressing. It wasn’t just someone looking at him anymore ; it was a clear, direct threat right behind him. Not just a wandering ghost of a fallen child, but the dark and powerful aura of a major Heartless. Something whooshed next to him, and when he opened his eyes, a weapon that was probably his size was stuck into the ground, missing him by only a few inches. He smiled, getting up slowly, stretching before turning around. He had heard about this massive Heartless that haunted the Graveyard. Back when they were in the Organization, they had been given the order to stay away from it. They weren’t supposed to die until the fated hour.

“My apologies, I was busy praying. I guess I should have paid my respects to you as well.”

The monster attacked, and Lauriam swiftly dodged the blow, his hands rummaging through his pockets. “It must be lonely around here. I assumed you might enjoy some company.” This time, he had to dodge magic spells that would have left him in a very sorry state, had he been hit. He found what he had been looking for. The place was incredibly hot, and his hair was rather thick ; he was glad he had thought about taking a hair tie. He took it out of this pocket, tying his hair into a bun, dancing in the middle of the attacks, avoiding every single one of them.

“I should have brought biscuits with me. I’ll try to think of it next time. I’m sorry, I was so eager to find out about you that I was rather disorganised when packing my things. I promise I’ll make it up another day.”

Could the Inferno understand his words? If it did, it showed no sign of it. It only attacked, again and again, trying to kill the man who did nothing but talk. With a yawn, Lauriam teleported himself out of reach, tilting his head.

“Come on now, you wouldn’t want to harm an old friend, would you? Ephemer?”

The Inferno, who was dashing towards him for yet another deadly blow, froze right in its track. Lauriam chuckled, feeling his shoulders relax. He wasn’t aware he had been nervous.

“It took me so long to find you. To find all of you. I’m sorry it took that long.” He lowered his head. “And even now, I’m not quite sure what I can do to help. But I remember, Ephemer.” He walked towards the static Heartless, and put his hand on its arm. The monster didn’t move. “And I will find a way. I will find everyone else. I will save you all, if that’s the last thing that I do.”

The gigantic swords fell loudly onto the dusty ground. The Inferno was staring right at him.

“I will do everything I can to bring them back. Skuld, Ven… everyone. How about I bring them all here next time? Then we’ll all have tea together? Elrena might be one of us as well, but I cannot make any promise about her. She dislikes high temperatures. Sounds about right to you?”

The Inferno took a few steps back, then a couple more. It started to fade away into Darkness, whence it came. Lauriam smiled at his friend, bowing to him. “Until next time, old friend.”

And although this could just have been the wind, he could have sworn he heard a voice whisper back. ‘ _ Thank you _ ’.

And although this could just have been the rain, he could have sworn he felt a water drop rolling down his cheek. ‘Until next time.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point no one can even be surprised when Lauriam shows up in a fic, I guess. I'd like to say this is the last we're seeing of him, but... *coughs* it's not. He's a very persistent kid.
> 
> Anyway, tomorrow's theme is "Breath of the wild", and we won't be slaying Ganon in it! (or run from guardians, brrr, I hate guardians)


	17. Breath of the wild

Her blonde hair in the wind, her toes feeling the grass, she was feeling free for the first time. She couldn’t help but run around, giggling and screaming “BEST DAY EVER.”

Little had she known, the princess of this realm had done the exact same thing some while ago. She was no princess, but she enjoyed it just the same, tears of joy shimmering in her eyes.

“Yes, yes, we get it. Could you be quiet now? You’re scaring the birds away.” She blew a raspberry at her timeless friend, who rolled his eyes. They wouldn’t say it, but they were glad they still were together. Elrena and Lauriam, who were known for a while as Larxene and Marluxia, were back to their usual selves.

Although he was a lot more quiet than she was, there was no denying Lauriam was enjoying every second of freedom as much as she did. He was fluttering from one bush to another, smelling the flowers, feeling the wind, and for the first time in ages, he could  _ feel _ all these things, feel a spark of joy at every bird chirping, remembering dear memories with every smell. Everything felt more vibrant with a heart. The sounds, the flavours, the colours. Everything had a meaning. His world had been in shades of grey for so long that he was almost blinded by how colourful everything was now. And when he caught a glimpse of his old partner in crime, it would be a lie to say she wasn’t herself glowing, and it made him happy.

Elrena grinned at him, then she scooped some water from a nearby pond, and swiftly threw it at another one of their party members, who shrieked.

“What was that for exactly? Can’t a guy enjoy a bit of peace?”

“Oh, come on,” she said with a mocking voice, “surely you didn’t expect me to be soft on you just because I had my heart back, Demyx?”

“Truth be told I’m still not sure you ever had a heart to begin with,” he said, glaring at her. He looked so pitiful with his face covered with water that she couldn’t help but laugh, falling to her knees next to him.

“You’re right, I sold it in exchange for my gorgeous looks, best deal of my life!”

“So the merchant got his part with your heart, but when are you supposed to get the good looks then?” Demyx looked genuinely confused, and only a mischevious spark in his eyes betrayed his sly attack. Elrena looked offended and took a knife out of her pocket.

“Careful, waterboy, we’re allowing you here only because we want to know why Xemnas thought you were important, but that doesn’t mean that you need all ten of your fingers…”

“Would you please show some respect for the elderly at least?”

The complaint came from the fourth member of their unusual party. Luxord - who, just like Demyx, had kept his human name for himself - had been trying to take a nap forever. With the sun on his face and the relative quietness of the place, he had assumed he would be allowed to get some rest, but that was forgetting about his bickering groupmates. Everyone was rather secretive about what Xemnas saw in them, so he wondered how exactly they were planning to find out the truth about all of them. He knew perfectly well what made him unique, but the three of them? From what he could tell, Elrena and Lauriam, as they now wished to be called, had known each other for a very long time. Longer than one would assume, he believed from what they would sometimes hint. Demyx was a complete mystery, just shrugging off any question, saying he didn’t want to be the first one to tell his past. And Luxord understood that well. He had no intention of revealing any of his main cards until the other ones showed their own hands. What none of them knew, besides him of course, was that there was a fifth player in their game, an opponent they would not suspect. And so, while Elrena was running barefoot in the grass, while Demyx was playing a joyous melody, while Lauriam was picking up flowers, Luxord would only pretend to enjoy this newfound freedom, but, his eyes closed, he would try to sense the fifth presence, that was bound to show up someday : the man they all knew under the name Xigbar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point are we EVEN surprised Lauriamarluxia is still there? At least he thought of bringing friends this time! The new khux story update is out for JP, I'm still waiting for translation to have a look, I hope we will get nice content!
> 
> "Tomorrow we fight" is the upcoming theme even though "tomorrow we enjoy the fact that weekend is nigh" is going to be a lot more accurate for me!


	18. Tomorrow we fight

Sora tossed and turned in his bed. It wasn’t unusual for him to be nervous before a fight, and it was a good thing, but never had he been  _ that _ nervous. While his fights had usually heavy consequences on the fate of the world, he had always fought them with only a couple of friends. The scale of this one was so much bigger that it scared him. Not that he had ever been fine with the idea of risking Donald and Goofy’s lives, or Riku’s, or anyone else; this time everyone was fighting. People who had lost so much already. People who feared they’d lose even more.

It was selfish of him to wish for Kairi to stay back, he understood that now. He wanted her more than anyone to be safe, but he was also relieved to have her by his side.  _ Until the end _ , a nasty voice whispered in his mind. He shook his head. This fight wasn’t his last. And he’d make sure it wouldn’t be her last either.

He was painfully aware of Aqua and Ventus sleeping in the room next door. Everyone of them had their own room, but Aqua had been holding Ven’s hand until the moment they got back and she never let go. The walls were rather thin, and Sora had heard them chat happily for a while, as if all was fine, then he heard Aqua crying herself to sleep once Ventus had once more fallen into a peaceful slumber. They were missing Terra a lot more than they’d admit, but Sora could see it in their eyes, in their body language. If Aqua’s hand had been glued to Ven’s, her other one was still reaching out to a hand that wasn’t there.

Axel was probably still awake. Last time Sora saw him, the young man was drinking his fifth cup of coffee, refusing to go to sleep. “I have ta hurt my oldest friend, and I might never see the other ones again. There’s no way I’ll ever find sleep.” Sora couldn’t begin to imagine what he was going through. Kairi had told them all that Lea would rather be called Axel again, and Sora knew that it was because this was the name Roxas called him by. Deep inside Sora’s heart, Roxas knew, too, and he was in pain. If only they knew exactly how to bring Roxas back! And that girl, too, that Sora saw more than once in his dreams… Whoever she was, she was important to them too. She missed them too. He shed her tears a couple of times. He felt her longing. He understood her pain.

He wondered if Kairi and Riku were asleep. He had witnessed Kairi’s nervousness first hand - she had been so clumsy all evening that she broke two plates and almost fell down the stairs, but she had confided to Sora she was actually a bit excited, because for once, she’d feel actually useful, and she strongly believed they would win. Riku had remained more neutral, saying that they needed rest to be at the top of their capacities on the battlefield, and Sora admired him greatly for being so mature.

And what to think of their opponents? Master Yen Sid had told them that defeating them would recomplete them. It happened once before, when Sora beat the former Organization XIII - tomorrow would be no different. But what if it was? What if for some reason, Sora wasn’t saving them, but eliminating them? All these Nobodies he met on his journey, Xigbar, Larxene, Vanitas, Marluxia… What if they had been given a second chance already, and there would be no third one? Would Sora even know? He wanted them to start anew with a new heart, he didn’t want them gone. He wanted Saïx to become Axel’s best friend again. He wanted everyone to be happy. But what would happen of Xemnas, who was so different of his somebody? What would happen of Vanitas, who was Ventus’s half? Would they disappear forever? Wasn’t this the same as killing them?

He tossed, and he turned even more. He had no answer to these questions. And he didn’t think he would ever find sleep tonight. With a sigh, he left his room, willing to join Axel in the kitchen.

He was barely surprised to find out every single one of his friends already around the table. Aqua and her puffy red eyes. Ven and his ghosted look. Kairi shaking in her seat. Riku sighing in his cup. Even Donald, Goofy and the King were there, giving him a look full of sympathy. Axel put a hand on his shoulder, with a grin that looked fake.

“Welcome to the nosleepover! Guess I’ll make another cup of hot chocolate, then! It’s going to be a looooong night!”

And so the guardian of light sat among his friends, embracing the warmth of friendship on the dawn of their final peaceful day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's ok Sora, nothing bad is going to happen, right? RIGHT? hahaha nothing bad, nothing bad.
> 
> Tomorrow we're going to something a bit sweeter (bittersweet?) with "I still need you"!  
> (note that the author didn't get quite enough sleeps and lacks inspiration for her notes)


	19. I still need you

It was a strange thing, feeling again. Isa wasn’t too sure if he actually enjoyed it. Had feeling always been so dark, so sad, so lonely? The last time he had a heart, he was merely a child. The biggest issue he’d have was to be home in time for dinner. The angrier he’d feel was when Lea would forget to bring his skateboard. The sadder he’d feel was when the ice cream shop ran out of his favourite flavour.

Life had been so simple then.

He sighed, looking at the ever glowing city of Twilight Town. The sky was made of gold and there was nothing but happy faces around him. He wouldn’t be late for dinner. He had long given up on skating. There seemed to be an unlimited stock of ice cream. And yet Isa wasn’t quite happy yet.

He thought about his hometown, Radiant Garden. While he wasn’t particularly homesick - hard to be after a decade, he wondered if he should pay a visit again soon. Stay for a couple of days. Of weeks, perhaps. But should he really go alone? It felt wrong going home without Lea.  _ Axel _ . But there was a voice in his head whispering it probably would be for the best. Lea didn’t need him anymore.  _ Axel _ clearly didn’t either.

The second he got his heart back, it was obvious to him he should claim his name back. He didn’t pretend that this would erase all that he had done before, but he hoped this would help him move on, become a better person, become the one Isa would have naturally become if Saïx never happened. He took back the name that was deeply connected to his strongest, dearest friendship. Realising that Axel did that exact same thing felt like a knife stabbed right into his brand new heart.

They were always together, the three of them. Axel, telling stupid jokes. Xion, laughing politely. Roxas, pointing out how silly that actually was. It should have been him.It used to be him. He had to face the facts: Axel didn’t need him that much anymore. He had forged friendships when he had no heart and they became even stronger when his heart came back. Isa was just an old, dusty memory of a past Axel had long moved on from. They used to have dreams, to have their own jokes, their secret language, their secret handshake, but it was only child’s play, and what connection they had shared before had no value now.

It was time to go home, Isa decided, staring at the setting sun. Twilight Town was no place for him. Never was, never will.

“Yo, Isa! Been looking for you everywhere! What could you possibly be scheming, all alone on that bench?”

Isa looked up to see his best friend (even though that wasn’t mutual anymore) grinning at him.

“The kids are busy so I was thinking you and I could hit the bar and have some boo-”

“Axel, I’m leaving.”

“That sounds a bit extreme. You can have a glass of water, I’m not forcing you to drink.” Behind Axel’s easy laughter, Isa could see his friend was actually processing his words. Axel was a jokester, but he was no fool.

“I just feel like Radiant Garden could need my help. In case they’re looking for a new guard, I don’t know. I’m not sure they’d want to work with me again, though.”

“Isa, Isa, Isa”, Lea sighed, crashing on the bench next to him. “We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“Are we?”

“Hardy har har. Killing me with the jokes, buddy. And here I thought  _ I _ was the funny one. Now that we had a good laugh - when are you going to open up to me?”

“Open up about what?”

“About everything! Everytime I hang out with the kids, I can see how sad you look. Not even jealous, just resigned. When you hang out with us all, you look so gloomy and depressed no one knows what to say. And when you hang out with me alone, it feels like you’re just trying to rush things so that I can leave as soon as possible! Do you hate me that much?”

“I wish I could.”

“Then is it the kids? You don’t like the idea of them being around?”

“I could hardly blame them for wanting to enjoy life for the first time.”

Axel took a deep breath in. “So that’s you, then? You’re the one you’re hating so much. Let me guess. You think you’re worthless. That you don’t belong. That I found new friends and I look happy with them so perhaps you’d better be off so that you’re not going to ruin everything.”

Isa’s silence was worth a thousand words. He looked away, surprised Axel would see right through him so easily.

“Sure, I love them. Xion is really cute and she marvels at everything she sees. Roxas is a cool kid who’s trying his best all the time. But you know what they’re not? They’re not  _ you _ . They will believe anything I say. They look up to me and they won’t question me. It’s terrible for my ego, you know! I need someone down to earth. Someone who isn’t afraid to point out my very few flaws. Someone who’s not looking at me as the bloody rulebook of how to be a human, but someone who stares at me as the bloody rulebook of what not to become! And so far, I met only one guy meeting all the criterias, and if he’s thinking of running away, then I’m not sure what will become of myself.”

Staring at his feet, Isa could feel his hands shaking. He was trying to find the right words, and yet none would come, not even the wrong ones, just pure, absolute silence.

“Aw man, I was planning to do this in a very crowded area to put you  _ totally _ uneasy, but here we go I guess.” Axel got up, faced Isa, then fell down to one knee. Isa stared at him in complete confusion. All of his doubts and worries vanished in an instant, converted into a bigger worry instead.

“Isa, there’s something I’d like to ask you, and I’m not taking no as an answer.”

“What. are. you. doing.”

“We’ve been through a lot together, and at one point I feared I was losing you. You might think I moved on easily, rebuilt my life without you in it, but that was wrong. No matter how much forward I moved, there was always a hole in the shape of a grumpy lunatic in my existence. Which is why I have to ask you…”

Isa waited for the dreadful moment. Somehow, he wasn’t just mortified - he was annoyed. This was Axel talking. Nothing could go right.

“Will you become my best friend forever, again? We’ll be bros, united against everything, and we’ll solve the mysteries of the worlds, as we once promised we would!”

“I’m going to bloody murder you.”

“I take that as a yes then!” Axel winked, before gasping in an exaggerated shocked motion. “Unless you thought I was actually proposing to you? Listen, I am honoured, but you are family and that would have been-”

“I hope you run fast, Axel,” Isa stood up in a second, a threatening aura around him, “because if you don’t, these are going to be your very last words.”

And the usually so quiet Twilight Town was now filled with screams of terror and laughters, as two grownups were playing  _ It _ with a set of knives, vases, and pretty much everything that could be thrown, and as Axel screamed from a distance “see, this is why I need you, the kids are a lot less fun to teaaaaase”, Isa thought that perhaps, he was right where he belonged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Truth be told when I read it again just now for a last spellcheck, I had forgotten it was actually wholesome and I must confess I giggled at my own story. If you want any tip on how to write a fic you're proud of, here's my two cents: write the story you want to read. It won't please everyone, maybe it won't even please a single person, but as long as YOU are happy with it, then it's already a success. And if you're not proud of it - find out why, and use that to make a better one next time!
> 
> Tomorrow's theme is Throne, and here's a teaser: I think it's my only fic of this whole calendar where someone dies! 2020 had no room for intense gloom!


	20. Throne

Although the city mourned her King, it was still a day of celebration in Radiant Garden. King Ansem had been a wise man, and a fair ruler, and while his passing had been accompanied with great sadness, he was an old man who had ruled for countless years, and he should be remembered as a good man.

He left no biological heir behind. Science had always been his only love, and if he brought prosperity to Radiant Garden, he never took the time to have a family of his own.  _ My people are my family _ , he often would say. But that did not mean he had been unprepared, either. For years, he trained the one who would succeed him, the one who would rule in his stead, the one he thought was most able to sit on his throne. And while all loved King Ansem, the Coronation was an event all had been excited about.

The hall was full of people. Citizens, mostly, but a few otherworldly guests were also among the faces. The music started. It was time. Kairi took a couple of steps in, hesitant. She had been practicing the ceremony a lot, but the real thing was a lot more intimidating. It reminded her of her wedding, with everyone looking at her. But there was no going back. Ansem had taught her everything he knew, because he believed she was the right one. He trusted she was the best option for Radiant Garden. She would not let him down. Sora was there, grinning at her as if he was still a kid, and it took her all the self control in the world not to make a face back at him. _Dignity_ ,she thought. _Like Aqua taught you_. The Keyblade Master was there too, of course, with the rest of her family. Everyone was there. _It’s just like your wedding, Kairi. Except this time it is your country you are getting united with._ _No pressure._

She had to stifle a laugh. Now was not the time for inner jokes. She focused on her steps instead. One foot, then the other. No foot on top of the other one. Lifting them so that she would not trip. Not lifting them high enough to look stupid. No more focusing on her feet.

Someone on her left smelled strongly of tobacco and she looked sideways, glimpsing Cid who nodded at her. Next to him, Aerith, as always beautiful with her crown of fresh flowers, curtsied with a happy smile. Kairi softly nodded back. There was nothing to be afraid of. The room was full of people she fully trusted.

There was a whole row dedicated to all the scientists. Old ones, young ones, most of them looking extremely bored - Even was making it rather clear that he’d rather be searching anything rather than attending a stupid coronation. Ienzo was probably the saddest face in the room. He was dearly attached to the King and regarded him as a father ; no doubt it hurt to see someone take his place.

Riku’s eyes, too, were glimmering with tears, but she knew these weren’t sad tears. He looked so proud of her. And she, too, was incredibly proud of him, the Captain of the Guard, Master of Keyblade Apprentices. She hoped her schedule would let her spar with him from time to time. He was one of the best sparring partners she ever had. Speaking of sparring partners - her eyes scanned the crowd, looking for a face she couldn’t spot. She felt a tinge of disappointment that she couldn’t let through. It would be unfit for a Queen. With a small sigh, she glanced one last time to her right, and she finally saw him.

Axel was waving at her from  _ behind _ the window. Isa was next to him, holding out a sign pointing to his best friend. “Stupid here overslept. Sorry.” Once again, she had to swallow back that giggle. Oversleeping on an important day sounded very much like Axel. Even Xion and Roxas, sitting  _ inside _ the room, looked apologetic. She winked at them.

The end of the aisle, finally. Had it always been that long? The walk had felt like an eternity. Surely she was a couple of years older already. The Crown Intendant was waiting, a man so old it looked like he crowned every sovereign that ever ruled Radiant Garden. All the joy Kairi had felt was gone. All the pressure, too. She was filled only with calm, repeating all that she had learnt on rehearsal. Making an oath to protect her country, and her people. Promising she would listen and help all those in need. Swearing Radiant Garden would, and should, always come first. With a peaceful smile, she nodded and sat on the throne. Her throne. The intendant put the heavy crown on her head, and she embraced everyone with her eyes.

The crowd cheered. A new Queen had been chosen.

_ Long Live Queen Kairi _ , they chanted, and they would keep chanting for many more years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kairi has long been queen of my heart (there are quite a lot of thrones there so there are just as many queens), and I'm sure she would make a magnificent queen. Meanwhile, Lea will always be... Lea.
> 
> Tomorrow, we'll be dwelving into "Memory" - but whose?


	21. Memory

Elrena typed on the keyboard as fast as she could. Lauriam was outside, guarding the door. He probably noticed how she had insisted on being the one hacking through the system, but he didn’t point it out. Perhaps he had guessed the truth. He was very perceptive, much to her annoyance.

_ You must be the one Lauriam told us about? It’s a pleasure to meet you! _

She shook her head. She had no time for the past. Only the future mattered. And the future could be really great, or really bad, and it all depended on how long it would take her to get the information she needed.

She heard a thud on the door. Five minutes. She had spent five minutes typing on that stupid keyboard and nothing good came of it so far. Based on their prior observations, they had exactly twenty minutes before someone would come inside. She swore between her teeth. “Darn you and your stupid passwords, Vexen.”

Back in the Organization Days, she had always been able to find all of his passwords, no matter how secure they were - no amount of capital letters, numbers and symbols could win against the tiny camera she had set,  _ just in case _ . But this room was different and she had been unable to set up such a device in advance. Simply observing the guards patrols had almost got them caught once. They couldn’t afford jeopardizing the mission.

_ Do you think we could become friends, by any chance? I don’t… I don’t have many girl friends. Maybe we could hang out together sometimes? _

With a growl, she punched the side of the gigantic computer. Why was stupid thing so slow? She needed that password, and she needed it  _ quickly _ . She closed her eyes, thinking, trying to think like the King. He was one foolish man who had very little security over his passwords. She knew it because the door digicode had been  _ 1234 _ . There wasn’t even a try limit. It was almost insulting. At least Vexen would try something original, not something dumb like a birth date or the name of his pet. She frowned. Maybe not the name of a pet, but perhaps the name of… Taking a deep breath in, she tried several combinations, and suddenly, the screen went green. She was in.

_ Are you free today? I was thinking of a girls’ day out together? _

Another thud. She had very little time left. She went through the files as quickly as she could, until she found the one entry she had been looking for. “A group of children mysteriously appear out of nowhere”. She plugged her USB stick in, ready to copy the file, when another linked entry caught her eye. “Light experiments on younger subjects”. She knew she didn’t have time for that, she knew she was putting Lauriam at risk, but she opened the file. It was full of experiment records. With pictures of said subjects. She recognized some of these faces, especially that one branded “Subject X”. Back in her time, they called her Skuld. And the last words Elrena ever told her, she would never forget.

_ Yeah, so I’m sure you’re really nice and all, but I don’t need friends. Get lost. _

She had been in a foul mood that day, and she refused Skuld’s sympathy. The next day, the bells rang the end of the world, the Dandelions scattered, and she never saw her again. Her last memory had been that of a girl who smiled even though she had been deeply hurt by her rejection. Turned out life hadn’t been rainbows and butterflies after either, based on what these reports said. She snorted.  _ Bloody monsters _ .

She copied all of the files and kicked the door. Lauriam was there. “Everything okay?” He was probably mentioning her wet cheeks. She shrugged.

“You won’t like it, but I’ve got what we came for. Let’s go before I burn this place to the ground.”

Clutching the USB stick in her hand, she repeated the promise she made to herself so long ago. She would find out what exactly happened to all these kids, her friends, and she would find them. She would find Skuld, and she would apologize. No matter what it cost her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have read the previous years' challenges, you might be familiar with the concept that Saphire and I both decide on a duo to appear in one fic (she got Roxas and Yuffie haha). Mine was Elrena and Skuld, so here it was! They didn't interact much on this OS, but I focused on the aftermaths of their interactions instead. While it's not confirmed that X is Skuld, the chances are high, and I hope she is alright and that Lauriam will find his friends again Q^Q
> 
> Tomorrow is "Rainbow" :D


	22. Rainbow

It was a rainy day, and Axel was pouting, staring out the window. It might have been because of his affinity with fire, but he hated rain. They would be stuck at home with nothing to do, and he was bored out of his mind. Sure enough, he could see the sun in the distance, but that didn’t stop the water from pouring down the streets. He sighed. Time to watch some TV.

“Axel, you need to-”

“It’s incredible, come with-”

“You won’t even believe-”

“Quick before it’s gone!”

He didn’t even know where the kids came from. A minute ago he was alone, brooding, and all of a sudden, a couple of squealing midgets were right there, talking at the same time to ensure he couldn’t understand a single word they were saying.

“Silence, both of you. Xion, you speak first. What is it?”

“The sky, it’s strange, and we want you to see it.”

“That’s called rain. Roxas, your turn.”

“It’s more than just rain, come and see for yourself!”

Axel sighed. They looked way too excited for a bit of rain. Had they noticed a funny shaped cloud or something? “Alright, alright, just let me grab a coat first. If I catch a cold because of you, you will be hearing from me till the end of times.” And as he zipped up the coat and put his hood on, he started following his favourite kids under the crying skies.

They didn’t go too far, as it turned out. He followed them to a clear plaza where there were no tall buildings. They both pointed at the sky, in the same direction.

“Look, Axel! Look at that!”

He turned his head, curious to see what could put them both in such an excited state. And when he saw it, he couldn’t stop himself from chuckling.

“So that’s why you dragged me outside, huh?”

“Do you know what that is?” Xion asked with gleaming eyes.

“That, my dear, is called a rainbow. It happens when the sun reflects its light in the raindrops, and-”

“There was something like that in Neverland,” Roxas interrupted. “But there was no rain.”

“Yes, and there were also children that never grew up. That place is full of magic, Roxas. I’m sure a rainbow or two is no big deal there.”

“So we get to see them everytime it rains?” Xion asked without taking her eyes off the colourful bow.

“No, not everytime. You need rain, and sunlight. But they are not exactly rare either.”

“It’s beautiful.”

Axel looked at the rainbow too. It wasn’t anything out of the extraordinary, he thought. And then, he realised that while he had seen plenty in his life, neither Xion or Roxas ever had this opportunity. All they ever knew was the black and white of the Organization. Roxas visited Neverland and witnessed one before, but he had been so focused on work he didn’t pay it that much attention. Axel looked at the sky, at the rain, at the pavement shiny with all the water. He looked at the flowers by the windows, at the ivy climbing on the walls. All of this was just normal for him. But if he tried to look at the world the way these two were, he realised that there was beauty hidden everywhere, he just had stopped paying attention to it. He grinned at them.

“Once summer comes back, let’s go to Radiant Garden, the four of us.” No way he wouldn’t invite Isa. “If you like rainbows, wait until you see fireworks. How about we call it a “The world is beautiful” tour, huh? What do you say?”

“I say you’re one big softie, Axel,” Roxas chuckled, and Xion started giggling by his side.

Axel grinned at them. Roxas might be right. He would be the one showing them the beauty of the world, but they definitely were the ones who reminded him how truly beautiful it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! Something light and fluffy ~
> 
> Tomorrow, for the almost final one, the theme is "Demon"!


	23. Demon

Demyx looked around, whistling. Shibuya was big. Bigger than he expected. It was a city of style, of music. He liked it here, from the looks of it. Looked like a place he could slack off unnoticed. Not that it would happen today, though. He had been sent here with  _ Larxene _ , which meant there was no way she wouldn’t spend every second on his back harassing him. The faster they went to the designated location to release a bunch of monsters, the sooner he’d be free of her. He looked at the map Saïx had handed him and grunted.

“That’s so far away. Do we really have to walk there? And why was I sent with  _ you _ of all people?”

“On that we can agree,” the voice behind him replied. “This job is a pain enough, and I’d rather spend my time with literally anyone else. Next game, I’m telling the Game Master I’m working on my own. Wouldn’t bear another week seeing your face all the time.”

“The Game Master?” Demyx frowned. What was she rambling about? And had her voice always been so annoyingly high pitched? He glanced back at her - and gasped.

“You’re not Larxene. Who are you?”

The woman behind him had short red hair, short shorts, and huge wings.  _ Wings _ . Not fluffy, feathered wings either, but dark, wiry wings that looked like a demon’s. Whoever she was, she was not Larxene. She wasn’t even looking at him, her arms crossed on her chest, disdain painted all over her face.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Kariya, but if you’re done blabbering nonsense, we’ve got a game to watch.”

“Uuuh, Miss? Ma’am? I think you’ve got the wrong guy.”

Finally, she turned her head. And took a step back. “Who are you? Where’s my partner? And why can you see me? Player, or Reaper?”

“Well, that’s what I’d like to know too,” he said with a sigh. “Not that final question, though, I have no idea what you mean. But my…  _ coworker _ and I were supposed to be together. We’ve got a job to do. I thought she was following me. And usually, people don’t really notice us, so, uh… how come you can?”

“You’ve got a job. In the UG. And you expect me to believe that?”

“What’s the UG? I thought this was Shibuya?”

“Uuurgh, how can you be so dense? The Underground. You’ve just stepped into the Reaper’s Game, moron. Why or how, I don’t care. But if that stupid Kariya thinks he can slack off by sending some random  _ extra _ in his stead…”

No wonder he didn’t realise sooner that Larxene was gone. They might look different, but that woman and her shared the same aura, full of anger, hatred, and disdain. Had she said she was just Larxene in disguise, he wouldn’t have doubted it for a second.

“You. Mullet. You free right now?”

“Actually, my name is -”

“I don’t care. Do you want to find your partner or not?”

Demyx shrugged. “Not really. She’s kind of a witch.”  _ Just like you _ , he thought, too afraid to say it out loud.

“Good. For today, you’re  _ my _ partner. I don't know where Kariya is, but we can assume he found your girl.”

“She’s not my-”

“Still don’t care. Knowing him, he’ll use that opportunity to not work. Which means I get to set the rules for today. You follow me, you pretend to be a reaper, and I’m the one in power today.” She laughed, a cold and terrifying sound. “I’m going to make that day unforgettable for our beloved players… A shame that they  _ all _ will be forgotten once I’m done with them.”

She turned her heels, and Demyx couldn’t do anything but follow her. He didn’t know what this game was, but somehow it didn’t sound like she was about to play Uno. At least, he wouldn’t have to work at all, right? Let her do her thing, then come back home and complain that Larxene disappeared somewhere without any notice. Maybe he could even get  _ her _ reprimanded this time. But as he followed his new companion, who was muttering a list of terrifying things she might do to “players”, Demyx couldn’t help but shiver. What if he had found someone even scarier than Larxene?

For the first time in his life, he started regretting she wasn’t there by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Axel mentioning yesterday that the "World was Beautiful", the japanese title of TWEWY hahaha
> 
> Can you imagine? This was a fic with Larxene AND NO MARLUXIA! He's probably depressed somewhere now...
> 
> The last theme is "The ball", and as always, as the last one, it shall be a happy one!


	24. The ball

Kairi had been enjoying some time with her family when Sora asked her out, out of the blue.

“Hey, Kairi, do you want to go to the ball with me?”

“The ball?” It was the first time she heard about that event. But of course, if she had to go with someone to a ball, Sora would always be her first choice.

“Yeah, the ball!” he repeated with an excited grin. “It’s planned tonight on our island, to celebrate us all being here! I know it’s a very short notice, but…”

“It’s fine,” Kairi said, smiling back. “I’d love to go with you.”

“Perfect! I’ll pick you up at 8, so that we can go together? Be sure you have an adequate outfit,” he added with a wink, and she chuckled, her mind racing, trying to think of what to wear. “I’ll see you then!” he waved at her and ran off to whatever business he had.

Kairi felt like dancing already.  _ A ball _ . She had attended some in other worlds, but very few, and she had loved every second of them. Having Sora formally invite her to one was like a dream come true.

“Mum, do you think you could help me with my hair?” she asked as soon as she was home, explaining the whole situation to her parents. Who, between her and her mother, was the most excited, it was hard to tell. She chose a lovely pink dress she bought not too long ago, and she took her phone out. Of course she would have to call  _ them _ .

“Good afternoon, Kairi!” Naminé’s voice was a melody of its own, and she beamed at Kairi, truly happy to chat with her best friend.

“Why, hello ladies! What are you up to on this beautiful day?” While it was Xion’s phone, the voice was clearly Axel’s. Xion’s shy voice could be heard in the background. “Axel, leave my phone alone! And leave this room! This is a girls’ talk, no boys allowed!”

“Fine, fine, I’ll be taking my LEA-ve then! Got it? My lea-”

“Axel, leave them alone!” Roxas chuckled and his face appeared on screen. “Hello girls! Sorry about him, I’ll take him far away, I promise! See you later!” Xion’s face finally appeared as Roxas could be seen in the background pushing Axel out of the room. Xion laughed, her eyes gleaming.

“Sorry about that, we were playing cards - and Axel was cheating. It’s been a while, how are you?”

“Well, apparently, there’s a  _ ball _ in Destiny Island tonight, and Sora asked me to be his partner!” She showed them the dress she had planned to wear, and they discussed which makeup would go well with it, and they spent the whole afternoon on the phone as Kairi was getting ready, her mother braiding her hair, until she looked absolutely beautiful and the time was up. Someone rang at the door, and she had to say goodbye to her friends who wished her all the best.

Kairi had never been quite exigent. She loved people as they were and never set any high expectations on them. But when she saw Sora at the door, wearing his usual puffy trousers and his usual black jacket and -  _ really, his usual everything _ , she couldn’t help but feel a hint of disappointment in her heart. She supposed she had given more importance to the event than he had. She still smiled at him warmly, and he smiled back, looking a bit puzzled.

“Kairi, you look absolutely beautiful! Is that the best outfit to… No, never mind. You know what works for you. Anyway, you do look like a princess, even more than usual! Shall we go?”

She felt her cheeks burning. He thought she was overdressed. The ball was nothing more than a casual party with his friends for him, and she had put too much meaning in his words, she understood now. But she would remain dignified, and if she was the only one wearing a pretty dress and pretty makeup and a pretty hairstyle, then so be it. She would still have fun. She took his arm and followed him to the boat, letting him row alone as part of her sweet and petty revenge for not at least wearing decent shoes.

They were welcomed on the familiar beach by their childhood friends: Tidus, Wakka and Selphie. They waved at them, and Tidus let out his signature laugh, followed by Sora.

“So are you ready for the game of your life?”

“The game?” Kairi tilted her head, confused. There was no one on the beach but the five of them. Where was the party?

“Sora didn’t tell you? We’re playing blitzball tonight!”

“Blitz….ball.”  _ Ball _ . She cursed under her breath. She should have asked Sora more details about the rumoured ball. No, actually,  _ he _ should have given her more information! She was rather certain she wasn’t at fault in the misunderstanding. “Well, I think he omitted a few things when asking me to come with him,” she chuckled, wondering what was the best way to get rid of Sora’s body. She probably could get him trapped in the Timeless River for a few days. See how well he fared with the Hot Rods. “I’m sorry, I feel like  _ indeed _ ,” she shot a glare at Sora, “my outfit is not the best one for a game. Would you mind giving me a bit of time to get changed?”

“I brought an extra set of sports clothes if you’d like them,” Selphie offered with a kind smile. “Come with me.” She took Kairi by the hand, leading her to the door that gave access to the other side of the island. Before pushing the door, she turned to her friend.

“I’m really sorry. This was Tidus’s stupid idea at first, and Sora loved it and they decided it would be fun.”

“Come on, they love blitzball, I wouldn’t call it a stupid idea,” Kairi tried to convince herself more than Selphie, but the other girl shook her head.

“It’s best if you see it for yourself.” She opened the door.

Everyone was there. Their friends, from different worlds, all gathered and laughing and chatting. As if a magic spell had blocked the sound (and Kairi suspected that really happened), music reached her ears as soon as the door was opened. No one had paid them real attention yet, and Selphie sighed.

“Sora thought we should all do something fun together. He said that you’d been through stressful times and needed to relax. Then Tidus said he’d been watching a lot of prank videos that turned to be wholesome and said Sora should prank you to a fake ball, and… Well, you know how that ends now.”

“So the ball is… real?”

Selphie grinned. “I’m not sure I’d call it a  _ ball _ , but there’s music and fancy food and pretty dresses so I guess that counts! I’ll let you join them real soon, we’re just waiting for…”

“Sorry I’m late!”

“...for your prince. Have fun, I need to get changed before I join you!” She winked and left, shaking her head as if she couldn’t believe she played a part in such a prank.

Sora was right there, by Kairi’s side. He had switched his clothes for a shirt and even a bowtie. He grinned.

“Hope you’re not too angry?”

“I’ll be sure to step on your toes at every dance.” She had noticed Xion and Naminé were there too. The traitors. They had not said a word about it.

“Does that mean you still want to dance with me?”

“Only if asked properly.”

“Kairi,” Sora started, facing her and smiling warmly. “You are the most beautiful person I have met in my life, and it would mean a lot to me if you did me the honour of dancing with me.” He offered his hand. “Will you?”

“A bit too much,” she said, chuckling, “but fine. I shall do you the honour.” She took his hand, and he guided her to the party, where people finally noticed them and grinned. Xion and Naminé bowed apologetically in the distance, but for now it didn’t matter.

They danced until the moon was very high in the sky and indeed, Kairi stepped on Sora’s toes countless times ; but as midnight struck, she allowed her lips to linger on his, so he assumed she wasn’t  _ that _ angry after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wish to thank you all, who took time to read, to comment. My heart leaps in joy at every notification I get from AO3, and all of you were a very precious Christmas comment. More importantly, thanks to Saphir who gave me these themes, who endured my messed up ones, and who is the most patient being of them all. I hope we will be able to write yet another calendar next year as well. Until then, I might disappear for yet another long time.
> 
> Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate, and a lovely day to all who don't!


End file.
